WT/TPR/ R/15 
 
30 June 2023  
(23-4434) Page: 1/3 
Trade Policy Review Body   
 
SEVENTH APPRAISAL OF THE T RADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
REPORT ON THE SECOND  DEDICATED SESSION ON OTHER ISSUES  OF 26 JUNE 2023 
Chairperson: H.E. Mr Saqer Abdullah ALMOQBEL (Kingdom of  Saudi  Arabia ) 
1. The second  dedicated session on "Other Issues " (so-called "Basket 3") – review cycles , 
meeting structure , follow-up activities for developing countries and LDCs , Trade Monitoring  exercise, 
and date of the next a ppraisal  – was held on 26 June 2023. The meeting was chaired by Ambassador 
H.E. Mr Saqer  ALMOQBEL (Kingdom of Saudi  Arabia) . 
2. The Chair  opened the meeting by indicating that the meeting would focus on two of the five 
issues under Basket 3, namely meeting structure and trade monitoring. He also highlight ed 
Members' constructive spirit and positive engagement during the first dedicated discussion on  "Other 
Issues " held on 1 5 June 2023.  The Chair said that  as proposed  by Members in that meeting, and 
based on Members' valuable and thoughtful su ggestions, he had reworked the  draft conclusions 
contained in the revised informal Chair Note of 26  May 2023, bearing in mind that the descriptive 
part would be discussed later on, prior to the final meeting of this third basket of issues. The 
Secretariat  displayed the Chair's reworked draft conclusions on a screen during the meeting  for 
Members' consideration  under the two issues . 
3. Regarding meting structure, Members discuss ed three draft revised conclusions: ( i) adding 
value to the Review meeting through a more interactive exchange with the Member under review; 
(ii) having the possible participation of an extern al discussant and stakeholders  in TPR meetings ; 
and ( iii) the TPRB as the natural forum to share information in  times of global crisis . 
4. Members continued exchanging ideas on ways to reinvigorate TPR meeting, especially on the 
second meeting day. One delega tion indicated that all formal exchanges could take place during the 
first meeting day , complemented by a half-day informal interactive part, either on the day 
immediately following the first meeting day or on the day after that . Some Members supported thi s 
idea. Other delegations  indicated that while it is desirable to make TPR meetings more interactive 
and less formal, the current meeting arrangements should be maintained, including the gap between 
the first and second meeting days  to allow the Member under review to respond to questions and 
comments received during the first meeting day . One Member  said his delegation was  open to make 
TPR meetings more interactive but  noted that this  should be done on an informal and voluntary 
basis. 
5. One Member proposed having an annual TPRB meeting at the end of the year to take stock of 
the TPR process, including to discuss technical assistance where relevant. Some delegations asked 
for clarification about the purpose of such a meeting.  
6. A few Members proposed to introduce an indicative cap on the number of written questions 
received by Members , and said that such an indicative cap, along with the possibility to hold  informal 
interactive sessions with the Member under review , would help to restore the balance in TPR 
meetings between an interactive discussion on the one hand and the exchange of questions and 
answers in written form  on the other.  It was noted that an indicative cap of 75  questions would only 
impact four Members . Other delega tions stated  that they are still considering the proposed indicative 
cap as part of a reform package with interactive sessions.  WT/TPR/R/1 5 
 
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  7. Some Members suggested  that an additional measure to make TPR meeting more productive 
would be to invite, on a voluntary  basis,  "an external discussant" . Other delegations indicated that 
an external discussant may bring systemic concerns even on a voluntary basis, noting that peer 
review is a central feature of the TPR process and that external discussants would lack the necessary  
WTO knowledge. One Member  stated that the Secretariat could assist  WTO Ambassadors in their 
preparation for their role as discussants. Other delegations  raised the issue of the cost associated 
with inviting an external discussant.   
8. Some Members noted  that they do not see a role for the participation of stakeholders in formal 
TPR meetings and in their interactive exchange , while o ther delegations indicated that stakeholders 
could participate but only in informal meetings.  
9. One Member said that the first  aim of this Appraisal is to reduce burdensome practices by 
streamlining the TPR process including through technology and  expressed  reservations about 
introducing too many changes simultaneously  without first assessing their impact in terms of burden 
for delegations.  
10. With respect to the Trade Monitoring exercise, Members discussed three draft revised 
conclusions: ( i) the use of IT solutions for the submission and verification of measures ; (ii) Members ' 
participation in the T rade Monitoring exercise ; and (iii) the frequency and timing of the Trade 
Monitoring reports . In general, Members expressed support for the se three conclusions.  
11. Regarding the first conclusion, Members suggested to keep the Chair's proposed text, while 
others proposed some modifications, a s shown in the annexed table . 
12. With respect to the second conclusion, one Member asked about the meaning of the 
Secretariat's Trade Monitoring Outreach Initiative. The Secretariat explained it and suggested 
changing the name to Trade Monitoring outreach pro gramme. The Secretariat also proposed adding 
a weblink to this programme to be included in the next version of the Chair Note . Some Members 
suggested  deleting the words "training and briefing activities" since they are part of the Secretariat's 
outreach pr ogramme, while other  delegations preferred retaining such a phrase .  
13. On the third conclusion, one Member suggested more specificity with regards to  reducing the 
frequency of the monitoring reports to one per year . Other delegation s asked about the need to 
refer to both timing and frequency  in the conclusions . The Secretariat explained that the frequency 
of the Trade Monitoring reports is a prerogativ e of the Director General.  
14. The Chair closed the meeting by indicating that the next session on "Other Issues " would take 
place on  Thursday  13 July 2023  at 3 p.m. in room W. In that last dedicated session, Members will 
have another opportunity to consider t he texts to be included in a revised summary note to be 
discussed on 17  July in an informal meeting .  
15. The Chair's proposed conclusions resulting from this second dedicated session  are contained 
in the table below . 
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  WT/TPR/R/1 5 
 
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  Table: Compared texts of the conclusions on other issues (basket 3)  
Issue  Modified text  Comments  
Issue 5 Meeting structure    
[(1). Members agreed to consider 
ways of adding value to Day 2 by 
offering to include, on a voluntary and 
informal basis, an interactive 
exchange with capital -based senior 
officials from the Member under 
review.  
(2). Members highlighted the TPRB as 
the natural forum to share information 
on trade policy developments 
especially during times of global 
crisis.]  [(1) Members agreed to consider 
adding value to the Review meeting  
by promoting,  if acceptable to the 
Member under review,  a more 
interactive exchange with the 
delegation  from the Member under 
review.  
[(2) Members agreed that on the 
day between the first a nd second 
formal meetings, the Member(s) under 
review have the possibility of 
organizing, on an informal and 
voluntary basis, an interactive session 
with the possible participation of an 
external discussant and stakeholders.  
[(3)  Members highlighted the TPRB 
as the natural forum to share 
information on trade policy 
developments especially during times 
of global crisis.]  [Members agreed to consider 
adding more value to the 
Review meeting by 
promoting, [on a voluntary 
basis] [if acceptable] to the 
Member un der review, a 
more interactive exchange 
with the delegations from the 
Member under review [with 
the possible participation of 
an external discussant [and 
stakeholders].]]  
Issue 8 Trade monitoring    
[(1) Members invite the Secretariat 
to continue to explore IT solutions 
that can facilitate the trade monitoring 
exercise for Members, including 
through the creation of a digital 
platform for the submission and 
verification of measures online.  
(2) Members call for increased 
engagement and participation of all 
Members in the trade monitoring 
exercise, including through the 
Secretariat's Outreach Initiative.  
(3) Members agree that measures 
submitted by delegations [and from 
official sources] should not form part 
of the verification exercise.  
(4) Members encourage the 
Secretariat to exercise caution in 
using information from unofficial 
sources unless verified by the relevant 
delegation.  
(5) Members invite the Secretariat 
to reconsider streamlining its Reports, 
including their timing and frequency.  [(1) Members invite the Secretariat 
to continue to explore, implement and 
extend  IT solutions that can facilitate 
the trade monitoring exercise for 
Members, including through the 
creation of a digital platform  for the 
submission and verification of 
measures online.]  
 
 
(2) Members call for increased 
engagement and participation of all 
Members in the trade monitoring 
exercise, including through training 
and briefing activities by  the 
Secretariat's Trade Monitorin g 
Outreach Initiative.  
(3) Members agree that measures 
submitted by delegations [and from 
official sources] should not form part 
of the verification exercise.  
(4) Members encourage the 
Secretariat to exercise caution in using 
information from unofficial so urces 
unless verified by the relevant 
delegation.   
(5) Members invite the Secretariat 
to reconsider the timing and frequency 
of its reports in normal times, while 
maintaining flexibility to also address 
specific crises, as appropriate . [(1) Members invite the 
Secretariat to continue to 
explore, implement and 
extend  IT solutions that can 
facilitate the trade 
monitoring exercise for 
Members,] including through 
[the creation of ] the digital 
platform for the submission 
and verification of measure s 
online.]  
 
(2) Members call for 
increased engagement and 
participation of all Members 
in the trade monitoring 
exercise [, including through 
training and briefing sessions 
offered  by the Secretariat's 
Trade Monitoring Ooutreach 
programme Initiative .] 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(5) Members invite the 
Secretariat to reconsider the 
[timing and ] frequency of its 
reports [to an annual report] 
in normal times, while 
maintaining flexibility to 
adjust their frequency in 
times of crises, as 
appropriate . 
 
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